Exposure to any fumes can lead to health complications, and diesel exhaust fumes are no different. For those who work in an area where exhaust fumes from diesel vehicles and equipment are common, it is critical to know what your risks are and what signs to monitor for to protect your health. Talk to a Houston explosion accident lawyer today.

What Are the Dangers of Diesel Exhaust Fume Exposure?

Data from OSHA indicates that diesel engines produce exhaust fumes that are a mixture of gases and particulates. This combination contains diesel particulate matter, or DPM, which is known to contain cancer-causing agents. Specifically, this matter contains organic carbon compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). This type of exposure, especially on a consistent basis, can be dangerous.

A worker exposed to such fumes could face headaches and nausea, eye and nose irritation, as well as respiratory disease. In some cases, fumes like this can cause cancer. Lung cancer is one of the most common associated with this type of exposure.

Who Is At Risk for Exposure to Diesel Exhaust Fumes?

Any worker exposed to a diesel engine that does not have proper mechanisms to minimize these risks could be at risk. This includes:

• Truck drivers and workers
• Longshore workers
• Material handling professionals
• Machine operators
• Loading dock workers
• Railroad workers
• Bridge and tunnel workers
• Mine workers
• Farmworkers
• Garage technicians, including those for trucks, cars, and buses

Many of the machines these people use create risks because they operate with diesel engines. That includes bobcats, cranes, and concrete trucks. It includes rough-terrain forklifts, welding machines, and compressors as well.

If you have worked in any of these occupations and developed symptoms of illness, including respiratory illness, seek medical care right away. Then, seek legal help from an attorney ready to represent you. This is particularly important if you develop respiratory diseases, including lung cancer.

Employers and Manufacturers May Be Responsible

Diesel exhaust fumes are a known health risk factor. As such, there are numerous strategies and tools in place designed to minimize such exposures. Today’s more modern engines do not operate with the same risks and have improved considerably in terms of safety.

However, if you worked on any of these older engines, it is critical to protect yourself. This is especially true for engines older than 30 years, or if you were exposed to those toxins three decades ago.

Modern equipment typically features filtration devices that remove DPM and eliminate it from entering the workplace air. Better maintenance on older engines, as well as the use of cleaner fuels, has also helped minimize risks. Rebuilding older engines to meet more modern safety standards is another way to minimize such risks.

Workers benefit from improved ventilation in enclosed environments. Using catalytic converters on vehicles can also reduce some of these risks. In pressurized cabins where the risk of exposure is high, the use of HEPA filters can also help minimize risk.

If You Are At Risk, Seek Help Right Away.

If you developed respiratory disease and worked on diesel engines for a long time, it may be time to seek medical care and legal support. With the guidance of a workplace injury attorney, you may be able to recover damages for the injuries you sustained to your health due to this type of exposure. Contact The Doan Law Firm today.